Principal Commercial Operations

This role provides enterprise leadership in the design and evolution of ERCOT’s wholesale electricity markets, ensuring market structures support reliability, economic efficiency, financial integrity, and regulatory compliance. The Principal develops forward-looking market frameworks, leads advanced quantitative and economic analysis, and advises executive leadership on strategic market evolution initiatives. This position plays a critical role in maintaining stakeholder confidence, supporting regulatory transparency, and aligning market design with ERCOT’s mission to ensure grid reliability and efficient market operations.

• Lead the design and evolution of ERCOT’s wholesale market structures, products, and mechanisms.
• Develop long-term strategic roadmaps for market enhancements aligned with reliability, efficiency, and regulatory objectives.
• Serve as senior advisor to executive leadership on complex market design risks, opportunities, and structural reforms.
• Lead enterprise initiatives to enhance market transparency, performance, and operational resilience.

• Design and lead complex quantitative, economic, and operational analyses to evaluate market performance.
• Develop new analytical methodologies to address evolving market conditions and emerging industry trends.
• Assess impacts of proposed rule changes, protocol revisions, and regulatory directives.
• Evaluate reliability, financial, operational, and stakeholder impacts of market design modifications.

• Represent ERCOT in stakeholder forums, public hearings, and regulatory discussions before the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT).
• Support Board and legislative briefings related to wholesale market design and performance.
• Prepare and deliver high-impact presentations, testimony, white papers, and briefing materials.
• Translate complex quantitative and economic analysis into clear, concise insights for executive, regulatory, legislative, and public audiences.

• Lead large, cross-functional market initiatives in matrixed environments.
• Coordinate efforts across operations, settlements, credit, legal, and technology teams to ensure successful implementation of market changes.
• Provide guidance and direction to analysts and market design staff.
• Ensure alignment between market design objectives and operational execution.

• Requires minimum 10 years job-related work experience in excess of degree requirements. Minimum years of job-related experience may include progressive experience in market design, wholesale electricity markets, or related analytical functions.
• Requires minimum 10 years of progressive experience in wholesale electric or bulk power markets.
• Demonstrated experience leading complex market design initiatives and interacting with regulatory bodies, governing boards, and stakeholder governance processes.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate complex technical material to executive, regulatory, legislative, and public audiences.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Demonstrate rigorous intellectual ability to articulate complex technical concepts and challenge conventional thinking in their area of expertise and across organizational lines

• Demonstrate ability to work independently, participate on a team, lead a team, or mentor ERCOT staff with responsibilities that require the highest levels of technical expertise, initiative and resourcefulness

• Demonstrate highly advanced achievement in their field of expertise by developing approaches, processes and solutions that allow ERCOT to maximize its effectiveness or achieve strategic or operational goals

• Make a material contribution to expansion of ERCOT’s capabilities and innovation in the fields of science, technology, engineering or mathematics

• Interacts with management and senior staff on matters requiring coordination across organizational lines.  May provide input into organization policy within area of their expertise.

• Demonstrate ability to lead by influence and build consensus amongst staff in controversial work matters

• Be recognized by their co-workers, and professional peers as a regional or industry-wide authority in their area of expertise, as evidenced by any of the following:

1. participating in regional or national advisory boards, panels or com mittees in their field of expertise

2. delivering presentations and addresses pertaining to their area of expertise at industry or professional events

3. teaching certificate-level or college-level courses pertaining to their area of expertise

4. publishing original works of authorship pertaining to their field of expertise in reputable professional or academic publications or journals

• Bachelor’s Degree in Economics, Engineering, Finance, Computer Science, or related field.
• or a combination of education and experience that provides equivalent knowledge to a major in such fields is required.

• Master’s or other Advanced Degree in Economics, Engineering, Finance, Computer Science, or related field (Preferred).
• Experience within an RTO/ISO environment.
• Familiarity with ERCOT Protocols as well as PUCT regulatory and Texas legislative processes.

WORK LOCATION – Taylor, TX:

• Employees will be required to be on-site in Taylor, TX at a minimum of 2 days per week, or more, as needed based on the business needs as determined by management
• Remote work is required to be performed from your Texas residence.  
• Employees may opt to work on-site more than required or 100% of the time

The foregoing description reflects the minimum qualifications and the essential functions of the position that must be performed proficiently with or without reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities. It is not an exhaustive list of the duties expected to be performed, and management may, at its discretion, revise or require that other or different tasks be performed as assigned. This job description is not intended to create a contract of employment with ERCOT. Both ERCOT and the employee may exercise their employment-at-will rights at any time. #LI-Hybrid, #LI-MH1

ERCOT is firmly committed to equal employment for all qualified persons without regard to race, sex, medical condition, religion, age, creed, national origin, citizenship status, marital status, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, ancestry, veteran status, genetic information or any other protected category under federal, state or local law.

Expected Salary Range: